BlueClaws Outlast Grasshoppers For 8-6 Win

GREENSBORO, NC – Adam Buschini hit the first grand slam for the BlueClaws since 2008 in the fifth inning, and Lakewood held on for an 8-6 win Monday night.

After Leandro Castro, Darin Ruf, and Sebastian Valle singled to lead off the fifth, Buschini hit his first homer of the season to give the BlueClaws a 7-4 lead.

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Buschini is now hitting .500 in his last 20 at-bats to bump his average up to .323.

BlueClaws starter Brody Colvin recovered from a 1.1 inning, seven run performance his last time out to record his first win of the season and the first win of his professional career. Colvin (1-3) allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in five innings, walking four and striking out three.

For the third straight game the BlueClaws drew first blood. Shortstop Jonathan Villar doubled home Buschini in the second to give Lakewood a 1-0 lead. They made it 2-0 in the third on a Darin Ruf RBI base hit, with Leandro Castro then scoring on a passed ball to make it 3-0.

The Grasshoppers would answer right back in the bottom half of the third. After a Domingo Santana error let Hoppers centerfielder Rand Smith on base, Chad Cregar homered to cut the BlueClaws lead to 3-2.

The Grasshoppers weren’t done. Shortstop Terrence Dayleg, who had a go-ahead three-run homer in the eighth last night, doubled home two in the fourth to make it 4-3 Greensboro.

After Buschini’s grand slam in the fifth, Greensboro would again cut into the lead. Kyle Skipworth doubled home a run in the fifth to make it 7-5, and Chase Austin homered off BlueClaws pitcher Colby Shreve to make it 7-6.

Shreve pitched one inning, giving up one hit and two runs in his first professional appearance for the Phillies. The 6th round pick in 2008 missed last season after having Tommy John surgery.

With the BlueClaws nursing a one-run lead in the eighth, Anthony Hewitt hit his team-leading third home run of the season to make it 8-6. Ebelin Lugo and Joshua Zeid would then slam the door shut to seal the win for Lakewood, with Zeid picking up his first save as a professional.

Greensboro reliever Jose Alvarez (1-1) took the loss giving up five runs on nine hits in his four innings of work.

The BlueClaws are now 4-0 this season following two losses in a row.

ClawsNotes: Tuesday’s game will be the first matinee of the 2010 season, as BlueClaws RHP Jonathan Pettibone (1-0 5.52) faces Greensboro RHP Curtis Peterson (0-2 9.72). First pitch is at 10:45 am.

The BlueClaws rocked Peterson in his first start against the team at FirstEnergy Park on April 17th. He gave up six runs (four earned) in just 1.1 innings while Pettibone pitched six solid innings for his first win of the season.